484 TRINIDAD. 



that, with such object in view, it should not shrink from ex- 

 pending a few thousand pounds in bringing our coals within 

 reach of our planters, our railways, engines, or steam vessels. 

 This could not be considered as a rash step, inasmuch as we 

 have the opinion of Sir Roderick Murchison, that "some Ter- 

 tiary lignites possess an amount of calorific value which, in tracts 

 where the old coal does not exist, renders them of considerable 

 importance/'' as exemplified on board the " Austrian steamers in 

 the Adriatic, which are worked by Tertiary coal." It cannot be a 

 rash step when we have the statement that the Pointe Noire 

 coals were " far superior to what was expected ; " that " they 

 gave a very bright flame, with great heat and little smoke, and 

 burnt fiercely ; " that " the steam was raised and retained at the 

 requisite pressure with equal or greater facility than with the 

 ordinary fuels used," though " the consumption was much more 

 rapid than in the case of the English, Scotch, or Welsh coals.-" 



According to Sir Roderick Murchison, No. 18 would prob- 

 ably be valuable for gas making. 



We have again the opinion of the surveyors, of Sir Roderick 

 Murchison, and of Commander Peel, fchat the specimens, being 

 more or less deteriorated by weathering, do not convey a fair 

 idea of the value of the fuel which may be obtained from 

 subterranean workings. 



Of course let the Government obtain coals from such sub- 

 terranean workings, and then, but only then, shall we be 

 able to pronounce upon the importance and value of our coal 

 formation. 



k 



Camsu k Company, Limited, Belle Sauvage Works, London, E.G. 



99 8 



